Can companies or employers make you show them your facebook?

[Lanell]

My mom was telling me today that some banks, when applying for a loan are looking into your facebook friends list to see if your friends pay their bills on time and that can have a negative impact on rather or not you get the loan. I realize your Facebook can be private but are there laws protecting that privacy when it comes to these types of situations? If my Facebook is private can no one force me to show it to companies and employers?
My question is really "Can they make your Facebook not private" because if an employer checked my Facebook they wouldn't see anything because its private so how would they check anything? Can they come up to me and force me to show my Facebook to them.

[Wesley]

Yes

[Jack]

Listen to your Mother she is right.

[Reginald G]

What you are really asking is "Can a bank make your granting them access to your Facebook a condition for obtaining a loan?" As far as I know, there are no laws preventing a bank from doing this, but you would have to check with someone who is knowledgeable about the laws in the state where you live. I know that employers routinely check Facebook and other social media sites for information on prospective employees, and this checking is permitted by law.

[SPYDERBLADE]

I don't think they can "make you", but there's nothing to stop them from looking.

[Mujer Alta]

No one can "make you show" anything of yours online but, if having access to your Facebook page (your email contacts file, your YouTube account, etc.) is a requirement for a loan, for a job or for anything else that's important to you, then the decision is yours. It's either your online privacy or the job or the loan. Your choice.

[Michael]

Yes, banks are now looking at your Facebook friends as a way to see if YOU are reliable. I guess they figure that if you are reliable, you will only associate with reliable people.

Now, for the bigger issue:

Banks aren't the only organizations looking into Facebook to weed out "undesirables". Employers and schools are doing this tool. Prospective employers and universities (also some private high schools) will ask for access to your Facebook page. They are looking for any posts or pictures that will show that you are not a "serious minded" person.

The reason these organizations are allowed to get away with this is because there are no laws governing this type of thing. They aren't FORCING you to turn over your information, however, if you want the loan, the job, or to go to that particular school, you will either turn it over or be rejected because you "have something to hide".

So, if you're looking for a loan, a job, or place in a good school, clean up your Facebook! When you post too much information or too many photos, it will come back and bite you in the butt. I've referenced 2 blog posts that tell why you need to tone things down.